An Unconventional Sibling (Take Two)
by missmarabellkitty
Summary: LBDverse. Part 12 of The Unconventional Series. While celebrating Christmas together, Lizzie catches a glimpse of her potential future when she observes William Darcy interact with her sisters. "The last time Lydia had been alone with William for an extended period of time, she'd made that awful video and conned William into letting her shop with his credit card."


**A/N**: The Unconventional Series is an AU timeline starting at episode 88 "Okay." Although it is AU and was planned prior to the airing of episode 83, I will do my best to incorporate character developments as they occur in TLBD.

**A/N 2**: This is the twelfth installment of the seventeen part series. It is not necessary to read the previous installments to understand this one; however, this is **a direct sequel** to "An Unconventional Sibling" and "An Unconventional Passion" (which was originally meant to be the first chapter of this story). This is a oneshot.

**A/N 3**: I'm always looking for fellow seahorses and LBD fans on tumblr and twitter. Find me at lasciviousgrace-dot-tumblr-dot-com and BookWyrmFCP. Send me a message and I'll follow you back.

**Summary**: While celebrating Christmas together at the cabin in the Sierras, Lizzie catches a glimpse of her potential future when she observes William Darcy interact with her sisters. _ The last time Lydia had been alone with William for an extended period of time, she'd made that awful video (granted that was the first and only video Lydia'd made since George, but that wasn't the point) and she'd conned him into letting her use his limitless credit card._

An Unconventional Sibling (Take Two)

**December 26, 2013**

This was their first Christmas together.

This was their first Christmas _together_.

This was their _first _Christmas together.

Ok, so technically it was their first day after Christmas together, Lizzie amended in her mind, since she, Lydia, and Jane had spent the actual Christmas day with their parents, but now the three Bennet sisters (with Bing in tow) were spending a quiet evening in the Darcy siblings' cabin in the Sierras on December twenty-sixth.

Bing was huddled under three layers of blankets on the corner of the couch closest to the roaring fire. Jane was in the kitchen, baking cookies and carrying on an animated conversation with William. Lydia and Gigi were giggling over a computer screen at the rustically-chic table. And Lizzie was just sitting, staring in awe at the interior of the cabin.

The condo in San Francisco was large but everything was in normal, cozy proportions. This place was a mammoth – like a hunting lodge out of a turn-of-the-century novel. The ceilings were vaulted with artfully exposed beams; the fireplace was large enough for William to use the Floo Network comfortably. Although the kitchen was closed off, the rest of the first floor was open and expansive – a few couches, a handful of wing-backed chairs, a half dozen club chairs, a table that could easily seat twenty people (there were only six chairs at the moment). There was no TV, but there was a rather incredible stereo system, which included a record player. The Christmas tree was still standing in one corner; it was decorated like something out of a magazine. And as she sat there, Lizzie realized that this could be her future.

She could see herself here on Christmas, opening presents with her husband and her sisters and her sister-in-law and her brother-in-law and maybe eventually sons and daughters and nieces and nephews.

They were going to need more chairs for the table.

**December 27, 2013**

After her happy realization that she wanted to spend every Christmas with him for the rest of her life, Lizzie could not get enough of William. She hadn't told him what she thought of their future; she hadn't told anybody. She had happily accepted her fantasy in her mind; she was not ready to admit it aloud. There was still so much she was unsure of.

Like, for instance, what had happened on the slopes with Lydia and William that day. Quite wisely, Gigi had suggested _she_ be the one to teach Lizzie to ski while William taught Lydia. Gigi had (rightly) guessed the most stubborn and easily frustrated man on the planet teaching the most stubborn and easily frustrated woman on the planet could only end badly.

But Lizzie was still very worried about how badly Lydia's lesson ended. The last time Lydia had been alone with William for an extended period of time, she'd made that awful video (granted that was the first and only video Lydia'd made since George, but that wasn't the point) and she'd conned him into letting her use his limitless credit card.

So now Lizzie was back at the lodge, waiting impatiently for Lydia and William to arrive, so she could assess the damage done. Although William had assured her that he didn't mind how his last afternoon with Lydia went, Lizzie was rather inclined_ not_ to believe him.

She heard them enter the front hall and poked her head around the corner. She peered around the mess of coats hanging on the wall to see Lydia embracing William around the middle and smiling up at him. He responded with one of his reluctant half-smiles and a kiss on her forehead, right at the hairline.

In an instant, Lizzie ripped herself away from her vantage to point. Her heart was thundering in her ears. That was not a gesture from William unfamiliar to Lizzie, but there was only one person William ever kissed like that – his little sister. When had William Darcy started considering Lydia Bennet on equal terms as Gigi Darcy?

Lizzie ran to the kitchen, where Jane was finishing dinner. She leaned against the wall. Heat inflamed her cheeks.

"Lizzie, is something wrong?" Jane asked.

"I… I'm going to marry William Darcy," she whispered, barely audible.

But Jane gasped, indicating she'd heard it loud and clear. "Did Darcy – "

"No," Lizzie had found her voice again, "But I will. Someday. I will."


End file.
